Free Windows 8 desktop app development is dead

The next free version of Microsoft’s Visual Studio programming suite won’t build normal Windows desktop apps, it has emerged.

Visual Studio 2011 Express edition will only allow developers to build touchscreen-friendly programs for the new Windows 8 Metro UI, according to the software's product page here.

Coders will have to pay for Visual Studio 11 Professional or higher if they want to build anything other than the webbified fondleslab apps for Windows 8. A release candidate for the new operating system is due to be delivered in the first week of June.